Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
BBC Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme
open-in-new
<h2 id="history">History</h2> <h3>Overview</h3> <p>Upon the outbreak of <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a> on 1 September 1939, the <a href="/facts/BBC/qFateIz8">BBC</a> had merged its two nationwide radio stations – the <a href="/facts/BBC_National_Programme/dmYKtdtj">National Programme</a> and the <a href="/facts/BBC_Regional_Programme/e3NV3Mlv">Regional Programme</a> (which were begun broadcasting on 9 March 1930) – into a single <a href="/facts/BBC_Home_Service/8tNVRf5M">BBC Home Service</a>. On 7 January 1940, this was supplemented by a station aimed at the <a href="/facts/British_Armed_Forces/9XVvWRfp">British Armed Forces</a> serving at home (until <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Dunkirk/GRdjdyTL">Dunkirk</a> in <a href="/facts/France_during_World_War_II/TsCA20Yv">France</a> and <a href="/facts/Belgium_in_World_War_II/DfgYFUBm">Belgium</a>), the <a href="/facts/BBC_Forces_Programme/WUyp8RVX">BBC Forces Programme</a>. </p><p>With the arrival of troops from <a href="/facts/United_States_Army/WACWBEK9">United States</a> and <a href="/facts/Canadian_Army/IdccmkJo">Canada</a> in the run-up to <a href="/facts/Normandy_landings/q4wsAqGV">Normandy landings</a> (also known as 'D-Day'), the Forces Programme was replaced by a service more tailored to new audience as the <a href="/facts/BBC_General_Forces_Programme/Pfmy5V1j">General Forces Programme</a>, which also broadcast on <a href="/facts/Shortwave_radio/7cIaClcB">shortwave</a> for service people in the <a href="/facts/Pacific_War/yNu6op98">Asian theatre of operations</a>. When <a href="/facts/Operation_Overlord/fcx7BD00">Operation Overlord</a>, the <a href="/facts/Allies_of_World_War_II/YzCdtjDY">Allied</a> invasion of <a href="/facts/German-occupied_Europe/QbETgWUY">occupied Europe</a> began, it was felt by the Allied governments that a joint service of entertainment, news and information for the fighting troops would be a better use of resources than providing separate services from <a href="/facts/American_Forces_Network/fVnmFYUM">American Forces Network</a> and <a href="/facts/Canadian_Broadcasting_Corporation/xBHaMb9R">Canadian Broadcasting Corporation</a> stations. </p><p>This combined station, called the <i>Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme</i> was fully operated by the BBC on behalf of the Allied forces, began broadcasting on 7 June 1944 (shortly after 'D-Day') with 514 metres (583 kHz) providing a service dominated by <a href="/facts/Cabaret/n0fKcALB">cabaret</a> and <a href="/facts/Swing_music/80SJ1h4F">swing music</a>. </p> <h3>Closure</h3> <p>The station closed soon after <a href="/facts/Victory_in_Europe_Day/vCUm3Fn9">Victory in Europe Day</a> on 28 July 1945 when the <a href="/facts/British_Forces_Broadcasting_Service/pxThemoy">British Forces Network</a>, AFN and CBC had established their own services in the <a href="/facts/End_of_World_War_II_in_Europe/QakawVUH">areas each force was occupying</a>. The following day, <a href="/facts/BBC_Light_Programme/I263D3QR">BBC Light Programme</a> began. </p> <ul><li>Martinsen, Svenn (2004). <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060314120507/http://www.northernstar.no/afrs.htm">"Armed Forces Radio Stations"</a>. <i>Radio Northern Star</i>. Archived from <a href="http://www.northernstar.no/afrs.htm">the original</a> on 14 March 2006. Retrieved 15 February 2006.</li> <li>Millward, David (5 June 2004). <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1463641/Morale-raising-radio-from-the-depths-of-Broadcasting-House.html">"Morale-raising radio from the depths of Broadcasting House"</a>. <i><a href="/facts/The_Daily_Telegraph/aHa5nNw5">The Daily Telegraph</a></i>. London. <a href="/facts/ISSN_(identifier)/DPAflDvU">ISSN</a> <a href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0307-1235">0307-1235</a>.</li> <li>Grace, Alan (1997). <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=_DAbAQAAIAAJ"><i>This Is the British Forces Network: The Story of Forces Broadcasting in Germany</i></a>. London: <a href="/facts/Alan_Sutton_Publishing/8H4E83I8">Alan Sutton Publishing</a>. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-7509-1105-0 – via <a href="/facts/Google_Books/lnGRMWXs">Google Books</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://www.skylighters.org/radio/">WWII Radio</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.transdiffusion.org/rmc/">Radiomusications by Transdiffusion</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/research/bbc-at-war">The BBC at War</a></li></ul>